Friedrich Merz has been confirmed as the new chancellor of Germany after a second vote in the country’s parliament, hours after falling six votes short at the first attempt in an unprecedented and humiliating defeat.
The 69-year-old had been expected to smoothly win the vote to become Germany's 10th chancellor since the Second World War. But no other post-war candidate for chancellor has failed to win on the first of the secret ballots – a significant blow to Mr Merz’s prestige.
